Arch for furnaces of locomotives



Patented Sept. 20, I898.

A. F. HACK.

ARCH FOR FURNACES 0F LOCOMOTIVES.

(Application filed May 10, 1898.)

(No Model.)

T: "cams PETERS cov wo ro-uwa, WASHINGTON. a. c

UNITED v] STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED F. HACK, OF MELBOURNE VICTORIA.

A'R'CH FOR FURNACES OF LOCOMOTIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,169, dated September 20, 1898.- Application filed May 10, 1898. Serial No. 680,285. (No model.)

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED FRANK HACK,

a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, re-

siding at Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria, Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridges or Arches for Promoting Combustion in Furnaces of Locomotives, 850.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

By the use of this invention combustion is improved, smoke is prevented, sparks are arrested, flames and gases entering the boilertubes are cleanerthat is, carry less soot and impuritydragging of fire is reduced, and the fuel is therefore used in a more economical manner than in using any arches of furnaces known to me.

In carrying out this invention a specially useful combustion-chamber over part of the fire-bars is produced next to the rear tubeplate, further detailsof which will appear hereinafter, and in locomotives particularly I find this chamber to be most advantageous,

I have shown the invention in the attached drawings and will' describe it by reference thereto.

Figure l is a plan view of the arch in section on the line 4 4: in Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the back of the arch, from within the furnace or fire-box, in section on line 5 5, Fig. Fig. 3 is a vertical middle section transversely to Fig. 2.

The arch I use consists of two main parts, the uppermost being substantially vertical and resting on the lower, which is substantially oblique. The uppermost part, (shown by vertical wall A, with thickened base A) reaches the top Y of the fire-box and occupies the central portion of the width thereof that is to say, a clear passage B is left at each side of said upper part. It is through these passages that all the flames and heated gases from the fire beneath pass. The lower part of the arch is the bridge B, concave below and convex above, and extends obliquely from the rear end (opposite the furnace-door X) to the front end V. The said front end meets the wall of the fire-box below the bottom boiler-tube Z in thecase of a locomotive or like boiler. The bridge-is supported by suitable means, such as an iron bar D on each side, resting on studs E, projecting from the side wall W of the fire-box. Thebridge of the arch is thicker,"preferably, than the uppermost part A, the material used being firebrick or like refractory substance with thin fire-clay joints.

In the use of this invention a great part0 the flame and gases will rise toward the aforesaid upper wall A, but after nearing or striking the same they become diverted to the passages B. Incidentally wall A becomes highly heated. Where any stay-head, as T, is in the way of the bricking, the latter is cut so as to receive the head and allow the brick to fit solidly against the fire-box. With re gard to the other details of this invention I locate the studs, in the case of a locomotive, so as to have the iron bars D at such an inclination as to be in a line with a point usually a few inches above the fire-box-door top. These carrier-bricks, which form the arched bridge, are placed on end, and at each corner of the bridge-front I provide holes F for the removal of dirt from the upper surface. In

order to support the lower part A of the wall A, I make one of the brick courses G of longer bricks than the courses in front thereof andusually provide a supporting-ring course G at therear of course G. These detailsG and G are liable, however, to modification.

It will be observed from Fig. 3 that the whole front of the arched bridge does not rest against the front of the fire-box, but that only the upper part of the front does so, leaving a fissure or space H adjacent to the lower part of said front. If this space were not left, there would be acute-angled corners to the bricks, and these acute angles would entail extra labor, as they would soon break away and the arch be injured accordingly.

Variations in the details maybe made without departing from the scope of my claims, as the precise arrangements of the bricks and the form of the built-up parts indicated may be departed from without affecting the essentials-namely, a combustion-chamber, as J, the entire width of the fire-box, and then at its rear end having a central wall of less width 'risin g to the roof and dividing the fire-box into two combustion-chambers, the frontal chamber J ,and the rearward one I, the communication of heated gases and flames to the former from the latter being by Way of the side passages or fines B, and it will be obvious that the furnaces of both marine-engine boilers and stationary engines may be fitted with my invention, in marine the bridge being horizontal.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in What manner the same is to be performed, I declare that What I claim is- 1. A firebox arch having an inclined arched bridge extending the full width of the fire-box,

a part only of the bridge-front touching the tube-plate, and a space H being left between the tube-plate and the lower part of said bridge-front substantially as set forth.

2. In a fire-box,an upper combustion-chamber, having as its base an inclined bridge the full Width of the fire-box, and having as its rear a central vertical wall of less width extending from the fire box top to the rear of said bridge, leaving passages upon the sides of said central wall, and a space between the forward end of the bridge and the tube-plate 0f the furnace, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 30 in presence of two witnesses,-

' ALFRED F. HACK.

\Vitnesses:

G. G. TURIS, W. H. GUBLEY. 

